Fun Facts About the Tasty Tomatoes

DID YOU KNOW?

Tomato, scientifically known as Lycopersicum esculentum Miller is believed to have originated from South America and was brought by the Spaniards to Europe in the 1500s and later to the Philippines, which eventually spread throughout Asia.

Tomato is an important and popular vegetable fruit grown in all parts of the Philippines. It’s the top source of Vitamins A and C. It also contains a significant amount of dietary fiber, beta carotene, iron lycopene, magnesium, niacin, potassium, phosphorous, riboflavin, and thiamine. Tomato is rich in lycopene, an anti-oxidant which destroys cancer-causing free radicals in the body. It is also good for the heart, helps prevent premature aging and reduces the risks of chronic diseases.

Additional info
Is tomato a fruit or a vegetable? This is the most frequently asked question about the subject. Well, it may be botanically a fruit, but it’s generally prepared like a vegetable. Here’s an explanation to that.

Tomatoes are now the 4th most popular fresh-market produce behind potatoes, lettuce, and onions. The fruits can be eaten raw, included in salads, served as a cooked vegetable together with other ingredients, or pickled. They are also processed to produce catsup, juice, puree, and paste. Canned tomatoes are likewise available in most supermarkets, although you should not expect to get the same amount of nutrients as you would from the fresh ones.

Trivia Quiz Questions About Tomatoes

Q: While the tomato is botanically a fruit, it is considered a vegetable for what purposes?
A: Culinary purposes.

Q: The fruit is rich in “what”, which may have beneficial health effects?
A: Lycopene.

Q: The tomato belongs to what family?
A: The nightshade family, Solanaceae.

Q: Tomatoes were erroneously thought to be poisonous by Europeans who were suspicious of their what?
A: Bright, shiny fruit.

Q: How much does an average common tomato weigh?
A: Approximately 100 grams (4 oz).

Q: The Spanish distributed the tomato throughout their colonies in the what?
A: Caribbean.

Q: They also took it to the Philippines, from where it spread to where?
A: Southeast Asia and then the entire Asian continent.

Q: Tomatoes were not grown in England until when?
A: The 1590s.

___________Content and Featured Photo (except for the Additional Info and Trivia Quiz Questions) courtesy of the Department of Agriculture (DA) Region VII, Central Visayas, Philippines.

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Kapaligiran

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